Three-dimensional game apparatus and image synthesizing method

• US 5,947,823 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
• Original Assignee: Namco Limited (BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Nimura, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrison, Jessica J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAGER, MARK ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/722,194
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 463/1, 463/7-8, 463/30-34, 463/36, 395/118, 395/119, 395/126, 395/129-132, 395/173, 364/410, 348/552, 345/112-118, 345/122, 345/426, 345/418, 345/433, 345/473
• US Class Current: 463/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/833 Hand-to-hand fighting, e.g. martial arts competition A63F13/837 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/63 for controlling the execution of the game in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/80 Shading

Abstract

There is disclosed a three-dimensional game apparatus which enables a player to sense the passage of time and can give variety to game and demo scenes. The apparatus includes a virtual time computation section (120) for determining a virtual time by computing the passage of time in a virtual three-dimensional space from the actual passage of time in the real space; a virtual three-dimensional space computation section (100) for computing the positional information of an object and the positional information of a moving light source such as sun in the virtual three-dimensional space with the passage of the virtual time; and a three-dimensional computation section (210) for performing three-dimensional computations including a shading computation on the object disposed within the virtual three-dimensional space, based on the positional information of the light source. A depth-cueing computation can be used to present the night darkness and a translucent computation can be used to present the moon disappearing in the sky or the like. If game stages each having a different game setting are used, the virtual time of one game stage starts at the time at which the prior game stage terminates. The virtual time may be passed while the demo scene is being displayed.

Claims

1. A three dimensional game apparatus for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

virtual time computation means for determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

means for computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and positional information of a light source by using said virtual time, said light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time,

three-dimensional computation means for performing a three-dimensional computation including a shading computation on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said light source,

and display means for displaying the synthesized field image,

wherein said three-dimensional computation means selects a positional range in which said light source is positioned from a plurality of positional ranges to which a plurality of three-dimensional computations are allocated,

wherein said three-dimensional computation means selects a three-dimensional computation which is allocated to said selected positional range from said plurality of three-dimensional computations and performs said selected three-dimensional computation.

2. The three-dimensional game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a color of at least one of an ambient light and the light source used for said three-dimensional computation is varied depending on a passage of said virtual time.

3. The three-dimensional game apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising depth-cueing computation means for performing a color interpolation to bring a color of a displayed object to a predetermined color, and wherein said depth-cueing computation means varies said predetermined color depending on a passage of said virtual time.

4. A three-dimensional game apparatus for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, the three-dimensional game apparatus including game stages each having a different game setting and further comprising:

virtual time computation means for determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in the virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

means for computing at least positional information of an object disposed in the virtual three-dimensional space,

three-dimensional computation means for performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in the virtual three-dimensional space by using said virtual time,

display means for displaying the synthesized field image,

and wherein said virtual time computation means computes a virtual time of one of said game stages when a game scene proceeds from a prior game stage to said one of the game stages, a starting point in computing the virtual time of said one of the game stages being a terminating point in computing a virtual time of said prior game stage.

5. A three-dimensional game apparatus for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, the three-dimensional game apparatus including game stages each having a different game setting, and further comprising:

virtual time computation means for determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

means for computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

three-dimensional computation means for performing a three-dimensional computation including a shading computation on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said computed virtual time,

display means for displaying the synthesized field image,

and wherein said three-dimensional computation means varies the three dimensional computation performed on the object when one of said game stages moves to a next game stage with a proceeding of a game scene.

6. The three-dimensional game apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein a path of a light source used by said three-dimensional computation changes with a movement of the game stages.

7. A three-dimensional game apparatus for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

virtual time computation means for determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

means for computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

three-dimensional computation means for performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said computed virtual time,

display means for displaying the synthesized field image,

and wherein said virtual time computation means computes the passage of said virtual time when no player operates the game apparatus.

8. The three-dimensional game apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein a demo scene is displayed when no player operates the game apparatus and the demo scene is varied depending on the passage of said virtual time.

9. A three dimensional game apparatus for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

virtual time computation means for determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

means for computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and positional information of a first light source by using said virtual time, said first light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time,

three-dimensional computation means for performing a three-dimensional computation including a shading computation on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said first light source,

and display means for displaying the synthesized field image,

wherein a second light source is provided so that said three-dimensional computation is performed based on said second light source instead of said first light source when a particular game situation occurs as said virtual time passes, in said particular game situation a light from said first source missing said displayed object.

10. The three-dimensional game apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein at least one of a position and type of said second light source is varied depending on a game stage.

11. A three-dimensional game apparatus for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

virtual time computation means for determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

means for computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and positional information of a light source by using said virtual time, said light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time,

three-dimensional computation means for performing a three-dimensional computation including a shading computation on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said light source,

display means for displaying the synthesized field image,

and translucent computation means for drawing a translucent object by blending color information of a background with color information of the translucent object,

wherein said translucent computation means reduces a blending ratio of the color information of the translucent object when an amount of light from a light source used in said three-dimensional computation increases with a passage of said virtual time and increases the blending ratio of said color information when said amount of light decreases.

12. An image synthesizing method for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and computing positional information of a light source by using said virtual time, said light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time,

performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said light source,

displaying the synthesized field image,

selecting a positional range in which said light source is positioned from a plurality of positional ranges to which a plurality of three-dimensional computations are allocated,

selecting a three-dimensional computation which is allocated to said selected positional range from said plurality of three-dimensional computations, and

performing said selected three-dimensional computation.

13. The image synthesizing method as defined in claim 12, wherein a color of at least one of an ambient light and the light source used for said three-dimensional computation is varied depending on a passage of said virtual time.

14. The image synthesizing method as defined in claim 12, further comprising a depth-cueing computation step for performing a color interpolation to bring a color of a displayed object to a predetermined color, and wherein said depth-cueing computation step varies said predetermined color depending on a passage of said virtual time.

15. An image synthesizing method for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space, and displaying the synthesized field image and game stages each having a different game setting, comprising:

determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said virtual time,

displaying the synthesized field image,

and wherein the determining step computes a virtual time of one of said game stages when a game scene proceeds from a prior game stage to said one of the game stages, a starting point in computing the virtual time of said one of the game stages being a terminating point in computing a virtual time of said prior game stage.

16. An image synthesizing method for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image and game stages each having a different game setting, comprising:

determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said computed virtual time,

displaying the synthesized field image,

wherein the performing step varies the three-dimensional computation performed on the object when one of said game stages moves to a next game stage with a proceeding of a game scene.

17. A method of synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

determining a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said computed virtual time,

displaying the synthesized field image,

wherein said determining step computes a passage of said virtual time even when no input is received from a player.

18. A storage medium read and/or written to by a computing device to synthesize a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

a virtual time data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to determine a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

a position data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to compute at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and positional information of a light source by using said virtual time, said light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time, and

a three-dimensional calculation data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to perform a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said light source,

wherein said three-dimensional calculation data structure selects a positional range in which said light source is positioned from a plurality of positional ranges to which a plurality of three-dimensional computations are allocated,

wherein said three-dimensional calculation data structure selects a three-dimensional computation which is allocated to said selected positional range from said plurality of three-dimensional computations and performs said selected three-dimensional computation.

19. The storage medium as defined in claim 18, wherein a color of at least one of an ambient light and the light source used for said three-dimensional computation is varied depending on a passage of said virtual time.

20. The storage medium as defined in claim 18, further comprising a depth-cueing computation data structure that includes instructions to perform a color interpolation to bring a color of a displayed object to a predetermined color, and wherein said instructions included in said depth-cueing computation data structure vary said predetermined color depending on a passage of said virtual time.

21. A storage medium read and/or written to by a computing device to synthesize a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space, displaying the synthesized field image and displaying game stages each having a different game setting, comprising:

a virtual time data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to determine a virtual time by computing a passage of time in the virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

a position data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to compute at least positional information of an object disposed in the virtual three-dimensional space,

a three-dimensional calculation data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to perform a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in the virtual three-dimensional space by using said virtual time,

wherein when a game scene proceeds from a prior game stage to one of the game stages, a starting point in computing a virtual time of said one of the game stages becomes a terminating point in computing a virtual time of said prior game stage.

22. A storage medium read and/or written to by a computing device to synthesize a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space, displaying the synthesized field image and displaying game stages each of the game stages having a different game setting comprising:

a virtual time data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to determine a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

a position data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to compute at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

a three-dimensional computation data structure including instructions readable by said computing device to perform a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said computed virtual time,

wherein the three-dimensional computation performed on the object is varied when one of said game stages moves to a next game stage with a proceeding of a game scene.

23. A storage medium read and/or written to by a computing device to synthesize a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

a virtual time data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to determine a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

a position data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to compute at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space,

a three-dimensional computation data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to perform a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using said computed virtual time,

wherein a passage of said virtual time is computed even when no input from a player is received.

24. An image synthesizing method for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

determining a virtual time computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and computing positional information of a first light source by using said virtual time, said first light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time,

performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said first light source, and

displaying the synthesized field image,

wherein a second light source is provided so that said three-dimensional computation is performed based on said second light source instead of said first light source when a particular game situation occurs as said virtual time passes, in said particular game situation a light from said first light source missing said displayed object.

25. The image synthesizing method as defined in claim 24, wherein at least one of a position and type of said second light source is varied depending on a game stage.

26. An image synthesizing method for synthesizing a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

determining a virtual time computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

computing at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and computing positional information of a light source by using said virtual time, said light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time,

performing a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said light source,

displaying the synthesized field image, and

drawing a translucent object by blending color information of a background with color information of the translucent object,

and wherein a blending ratio of the color information of the translucent object is reduced when an amount of light from a light source used in said three-dimensional computation increases with a passage of said virtual time and the blending ratio of said color information is increased when said amount of light decreases.

27. A storage medium read and/or written to by a computing device to synthesize a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

a virtual time data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to determine a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

a position data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to compute at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and positional information of a first light source by using said virtual time, said first light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time, and

a three-dimensional calculation data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to perform a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said first light source,

wherein a second light source is provided so that said three-dimensional computation is performed based on said second light source instead of said first light source when a particular game situation occurs as said virtual time passes, in said particular game situation a light from said first light source missing said displayed object.

28. The storage medium image as defined in claim 27, wherein at least one of a position and type of said second light source is varied depending on a game stage.

29. A storage medium read and/or written to by a computing device to synthesize a field image from any view in a virtual three-dimensional space and displaying the synthesized field image, comprising:

a virtual time data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to determine a virtual time by computing a passage of time in said virtual three-dimensional space based on a passage of time in real space,

a position data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to compute at least positional information of an object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space and positional information of a light source by using said virtual time, said light source moving in said virtual three-dimensional space with a passage of said virtual time, and

a three-dimensional calculation data structure that includes instructions readable by said computing device to perform a three-dimensional computation, including a shading computation, on the object disposed in said virtual three-dimensional space by using the computed positional information of said light source,

a translucent computation data structure that includes instructions to draw a translucent object by blending color information of a background with color information of the translucent object,

and wherein said instructions included in said translucent computation data structure reduce a blending ratio of the color information of the translucent object when an amount of light from a light source used in said three-dimensional computation increases with a passage of said virtual time and increases the blending ratio of said color information when said amount of light decreases.